Table 8.
Summary of Canadian cow-calf producer’s top three factors influencing their decisions around whole herd vaccination protocols and whether to vaccinate suckling calves (n = 131).
| Top three influential factors | Proportion of herds (n) |
|---|---|
| Whole herd vaccination protocols | |
| Importance of the disease in my herd | 0.64 (84) |
| Economic benefits of using that vaccine in my herd | 0.53 (69) |
| Potential to minimize treatment rate and antimicrobial use | 0.52 (68) |
| Time of year the vaccine needs to be given | 0.33 (43) |
| Whether the vaccine is modified live or killed/inactivated | 0.31 (40) |
| Whether I must boost the vaccine (more than 1 dose needed) | 0.21 (28) |
| Other (Answers included: veterinarian’s advice, sale protocol) | 0.18 (23) |
| Route of administration | 0.13 (17) |
| Potential reactions or side effects of the vaccine | 0.07 (9) |
| Vaccine cost | 0.06 (8) |
| Whether I must mix the vaccine before use | 0 (0) |
| Vaccination of suckling calves | |
| Convenience (calves were being handled for some other reason) | 0.77 (101) |
| Need for adequate labor to handle and vaccinate the calves | 0.63 (83) |
| History of calf health problems | 0.41 (54) |
| Need for adequate handling facilities | 0.31 (41) |
| Busy time of year | 0.28 (37) |
| Challenge of separating cow from calf | 0.14 (18) |
| Other (Answers included: veterinary recommendation, sale protocol, age of calf, location of cow herd from home, calves born on pasture, weather) | 0.14 (18) |
| Uncertainty about vaccine effectiveness | 0.06 (8) |
| Cost of the vaccine | 0.05 (7) |